Negotiating the Political Reintegration of Armed Groups

Session description: Drawing on their experiences and analysis of relevant past or ongoing processes, the participants jointly discussed and developed practical guidance for mediation practitioners and trainers. This resulted in a Guidance Note on the political integration of armed groups for mediators and other practitioners. The purpose of this workshop will be to present and validate the recommendations of this Guidance Note. 

Moderator: jointly by the authors of the Guidance Note from swisspeace, the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA), Berghof Foundation, and the Politics After War (PAW) network

Panellists:

  • Dr. Mimmi Söderberg Kovacs, Senior Specialist on Armed Groups and Peace Processes, Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA), Sweden

  • Dr. Gyda M. Sindre, Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor), Founder of the Politics After War Network (www.politicsafterwar.com) and the Deputy Director of the York Centre for Conflict and Security (YCCS), University of York 

  • Dr. Véronique Dudouet, Senior Advisor in the Conflict Transformation Research Department, Berghof Foundation

  • Johanna-Maria Hulzer, Project Manager in the Conflict Transformation Research Department, Berghof Foundation

Other session participants: 

  • Ms. Emanuela Claudia Del Re, EU Special Representative for the Sahel 

  • Representative (tbc), EU Special Representative for the Horn of Africa

  • Mr. Sergio Jaramillo, Senior advisor at the European Institute of Peace in Brussels, a board member of the Negotiations Strategies Institute in East Jerusalem and president of Acordemos Foundation in Bogotá

  • Ms. Leila Asani Halud, fellow at FBA during Sept-Oct 2024 (formerly with the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity in the Philippines, OPAPRU)